New Testament Introduction (The College Press NIV Commentary | CPNIVC)
Overview
In this concise historical survey, the first introduction to the New Testament written by a member of the Stone-Campbell Movement since J.W. McGarvey's Evidence of Christianity in 1888, Fiensy assesses the evidence for the authorship and date of each New Testament book.
What is new about this work, however, is the author's attention to historical and cultural background information. The author introduces the reader to the historical, religious, and social life of Jesus. Fiensy then surveys the four Gospels and the beginning of the early church.
He introduces the remainder of the New Testament with a chapter on the religious and social background of the Greco-Roman world followed by chapters on the life of Paul, the Pauline letters, the General Epistles, and Revelation. This important survey ends with a chapter on the Text and Canon of the New Testament.
Dr. Fiensy uses the latest archaeological and textual evidence to help illumine many passages in the New Testament. Illustrations, tables, and appendixes contribute in making this book a valuable resource tool for college students and general readers alike.
This book is aimed at both college students and the interested Christian reader. To supplement the understanding of the New Testament environment, teachers may wish to give assignments from C. K. Barrett's', The New Testament Background (NTB) . To this end, suggested readings have been added in many of the bibliographies.
Top Highlights
“This period—from Mattathias’s uprising in 167 b.c. to the coming of Pompey in 63—witnessed the rise of the three most important religious-political sects: Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.” (Page 20)
“In Jerusalem Paul received his formative education studying finally under the great sage, Rabban Gamaliel I (Acts 22:3). Gamaliel was truly one of the luminaries of his day. His title ‘Rabban,’ which appears in the Mishnah, means ‘our Master’ and was considered more honorific than ‘Rabbi’ (‘my Master’).” (Page 217)
“None of the rest of the Julio-Claudian emperors—all of whom were related either to Augustus or to his wife, Livia—possessed Augustus’ political savvy. His immediate successor, Tiberius, however, was quite competent as was Claudius. The former is referred to in Luke 3:1 and the latter in Acts 18:2. Gaius Caligula and Nero, on the other hand, are synonymous with madness and debauchery. They knew no moral restraint and possessed no respect for human life. Caligula almost touched off a Jewish war when he ordered (in a.d. 38) his statue to be erected in the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem. Nero ordered the first Christian persecution (a.d. 64) executing hundreds (perhaps thousands) of believers in the cruelest of fashions, among them Peter and Paul (see Chapter 8).” (Page 180)
“Antiochus sent an official named Apollonius to enforce his designs. Apagan cult of the Greek deity, Zeus, was set up in the temple. Pigs were offered as sacrifices to Zeus on the altar once used for Yahweh. An idol of Zeus was actually erected in the Holy of Holies. Temple prostitutes practiced within the sacred precincts. Circumcision, keeping the Sabbath and reading the Torah were now prohibited by decree. Menelaus continued as High Priest, but now he was the High Priest of Zeus.” (Page 15)
- Title: The College Press NIV Commentary: New Testament Introduction
- Author: David A. Fiensy
- Series: College Press NIV Commentary
- Publisher: College Press
- Print Publication Date: 1997
- Logos Release Date: 2001
- Era: era:Contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible. N.T. › Introductions
- Resource ID: LLS:29.3.7
- Resource Type: text.monograph.introduction.new-testament
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-05-07T20:07:09Z